Loose-leaf binders and presentation folders include front and back covers and a spine therebetween, generally manufactured from two sheets of polymeric material, sandwiching a plurality of cardboard panels of predetermined shape and size, disposed in predetermined relation to one another between the sheets to form the covers and spine. The various components are then heat sealed together to form the finished binder.
The heat sealing operation is usually performed using a heat sealing apparatus having a base and a sealing head, the sealing head being reciprocal from a position spaced from the base to a position adjacent to it, and has on the underside of the sealing head, cutting and sealing die in specific relation to engage the component elements to comprise the loose-leaf binder or presentation folder, and cut and seal such components according to the design of the die, to provide the desired end product.
In order to maximize the output of the heat sealing apparatus the areas on either side have been designed to permit the setting up of the components relative to one another for feeding to a position below the head, where they are heat sealed and then returned to their initial position where the finished binder is removed and the next components to comprise the finished product are aligned relative to one another to permit the above operation to be carried out efficiently.
The areas on either side of the apparatus each usually include a table mounted for horizontal reciprocation on rails extending between the areas, past the sealer, for alternate reciprocation of the tables from the initial position whereat the materials are set up, to the second position below the sealer head and back again to the initial position, once the heat sealing operation has been completed. Therefore, when one table is beneath the sealer, the other table is at its initial position, whereat the components are being set up. When the first table is reciprocated back to its initial position, the second sealer in turn, is reciprocated to a position below the sealer and so on.
As is evident from the above discussion, it is necessary to align the component elements relative to one another and to the table so that they are appropriately positioned for accurate action by the cutting and sealing rules of the die carried on the underside of the sealer when the sealing head is lowered to engage the cutting and sealing rules of the die with the components. If the table is not reciprocated precisely to the exact position below the sealer each time, or the component elements are jostled in any way, the binder or presentation folder as the case may be, manufactured according to the above process, may be improperly manufactured and therefore unmarketable. Therefore, to assist in the alignment of the component elements, one to the other, to permit continuous duplication of the binder time after time, the industry has proposed the use of what is called, an Automatic Loading Tray, positioned on the table which orients the component elements, one to the other, and to the table so that if the table is returned to the same position below the heat sealer at all times, then so long as the materials were not jostled when moved from the first position whereat they were aligned relative to one another, to the second position where they were heat sealed to which the invention disclosed in my application Ser. No. 850,051 relates, not forming part of this invention, then a marketable binder was consistently produced. However, prior proposed Automatic Loading Trays were deficient particularly in their ability to make quick adjustments to vary the configuration, including minor adjustments to correct for improper alignment of the components in the Automatic Loading Tray, and the cost of replacing component parts.
With respect to minor adjustments, they could not be made rapidly, and replacing parts required substantial costs, due to the nature of the structure of the component.
It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved Automatic Loading Tray, which overcomes the above deficiencies in the prior art, providing for ease of assembly and adjustment, ease of repair or replacement of component parts, all at minimal cost.
Further and other features and objects of the invention will be understood by those skilled in the art, from the following summary of the invention and detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.